The Countess of Wessex has given an incredible insight into her children's bond with their grandmother, the Queen. Talking to The Sunday Times' Christina Lamb, Sophie reflected on the unique situation Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn have with their grandparents living in a castle, but insisted that when they are all together, they are just like any other family. "I guess not everyone's grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are. When they are with the Queen, she is their grandmother," Sophie said. Louise and James have grown up living close to their grandparents' home in Windsor Castle, and would often go and visit them there before the lockdown.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Queen is incredibly close to her grandchildren
Sophie has previously revealed the moment Louise discovered that her grandmother was the monarch, having been completely unaware of her relative's role as a highly important public figure. During an interview with the BBC in 2016, the mother-of-two said: "It happened a little while ago. It was much more of a shock to the system. It was only when she was coming home from school and saying, 'Mummy, people keep on telling me that grandma is the queen,' and I asked her, 'Yes, how does that make you feel?' And she said, 'I don't understand.'" Sophie added: "I don't think she has grasped that perhaps there was only one queen."
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© Photo: Getty ImagesLady Louise Windsor and James Severn Viscount have enjoyed an upbringing out of the spotlight
Louise is already following in her grandmother's footsteps as a keen horse rider, and the teenager has been pictured riding with the Queen and her dad, Prince Edward, while staying at the monarch's Balmoral estate, as well as in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The young royal has even competed in the British Driving Society Championship for Young Drivers. Prince Philip was very instrumental in the development of carriage driving and has represented Britain in three European championships and six world championships.
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Louise and James have been kept out of the public eye for the majority of their childhoods and are only seen at major events, such as Trooping the Colour and royal weddings. However, Louise has been taking part in a number of engagements with her mum over the past few years now that she is older, and was even in the audience of Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 when she celebrated her 16th birthday.
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